Volume XG VIIRun independently by cadets since 1907

F r I (I ay, S ep te ni b er 12

$1.00N u m b e r s

Firsts March to New Market; Rats Take OathBy Chris Richman ftilfrN ew s Writer

Certain traditions stand out at VMI and take precedence above all. The most important event in the school’s history, besides its founding, occurred on May 15, 1864, at the Battle of New Market.

Every year for the past decade, about a dozen cadets from the first class honor the cadets that marched into battle, into the Union onslaught, and into history books. This 80- mile trek down Route 11 is drawn strictly from first class volunteers who embody the New Market spirit and wish to gain the same experience that their famous predecessors had under orders, in time of war.

The first classmen were led by cadets Josh Powers (E company) and Jesse Wullenwaber (G)

and consisted of cadets: Chris Richman (D), Craig Hamilton (E), Joe M ontagna (A), Matt Roscoe (A), Johnny Pax (G), Hjrove Glasnovic (E), Brian Trueblood (C), Jeff Van Cleave (F- Troop), Ray L’Heureux (B), Edward Chen (E),

Geoff Goldsmith (H), Tim Riemann ( ’05, D) and Col. Tom Moncure (’72).

The long journey began Wednesday, 3 September at 1430 when the fifteen m archers stepped off and marched the first 11 miles to the

Fairfield fire department. The day was humid and d idn’t seem too promising for weather. For some, the first 11 miles brought small blisters anduncomfortable feet, but the real hardships were yet to come.

On Thursday, the cadets awoke early and stepped o ff in the pouring rain with a 25- mile day ahead of them. The rain continued throughout the majority of the day and brought problems with feet that would plague the rest of

the march. It was impossible to maintain dry feet, and some cadets grew horrible blisters on every part of their feet.

The rain tapered off at about 1500 and the group continued into Staunton until 1800, where they were able to rest for another night, this time at the Rescue Squad where they were well received with hospitality and even some warm beds. Throughout the trek. Cadet Powers read Corporal Atwill’s New Market diary and the cadets jokingly com pared theirexperiences to those of a cadet, 137 years prior.

Day three began with the most ideal weather, which would continue until Sunday. It was another 25-mile day and morale remained high, despite some serious pain. Several

Continued on page2

Captain Devarona : New Army Instructor Leads the WayBy Aaron Childers

ftfffTNews Writer

W hen a cad e t crosses the stage at graduation, she sees h e r s e l f jo in in g the corporate world as a leader o f free trade, as an engineer building the famous structures o f Am erica’s city’s, or as an officer leading m en in a w orld o f d is c ip l in e and re g im en t. A nd, as C ap ta in JoseDevarona, VMI class of 1993 puts it: “No one ev e r sees th em se lv e s com ing back to th is p la c e .” H ow ever, a f te r ten years o f service in the U nited S tates Army, D ev a ro n a , ’93, has re tu rn e d to g ive

something back to his alma-mater.

“Things are very different from when I w as a r a t , ” sa id D ev aro n a . S w eat parties were at 0500 and would wake you up and get you going in the m o rn in g ... Breakout was a week- long e v e n t th a t inv o lv ed our dykes working us out all day, all week. I remember that we had two days of workouts and then a fake out before we w ere a llo w ed to actually b reak o u t.” He was also surprised at the changes in the class system since his graduation: “The l*'s and 2"‘‘s don’t support their class privileges the way I was used to, and they don’t run the

stick anymore. When I was a cadet the TACs ran a ‘s tic k c h e c k ’ be tw een 1930 and Taps, and b e tw een Taps and 0 6 0 0 .” Deverona added that there was much more self-boning back then because o f the checks. He also c la im s tha t “The cadre this year was ten tim es more professional than we ever w ere. ... They have received a lot of lead ersh ip tra in in g , and it shows in their performance.”

A m o n g D ev aran o ’s favo rite memories are the New M arket p a ra d e s . B reak o u t, R ing Figure, and o f course graduation. “I liked

Continued on page2

T h i s I s s u e :

Ranger Challenge Gears UpBy Amie-Amie Novak CiffTNews Editor

This time each year a select group of cadets can be seen training in BDUs during morning, afternoon, and evening hours. This group is the Ranger Challenge team, under sponsors Captain De Verona, and SFC Gowdy.Led by team captain Cadet Ryan Koniak ’04, Josh Mulford ’04 and Justin Biemes ’04 fill key positions needed on the team.

The team began with approximately twenty-five cadets, but as happens every year, there were around four or five drop-outs as a result of grades and other, more

personal^reasons. The limited number of slots group hopes to compete for the placing team.this year with two teams, but due to Army Cadet Command regulations there must be at least one female in the competition for

the team to count. Currently there is one female on the team.

Since there are a

the top 20 or so cadets will be chosen based on their overall scores. Scored events include Rope Bridge, Hand Grenades, and First

Aid. In addition, the cadets are scored on their ability to work as a team and maintain physical conditioning.

This physical conditioning is a key component of the Ranger Challenge Competition and this year’s training is just as difficult as last year’s, Bierens said. The only difference being that this year there is more recovery time during

the first few weeks of training in order to prevent burn-out and

Continued on page2

Former Cadet Found Guilty of RobberyOpiniQii,

First Classim

Summer Moneis^^J ̂

The Back Page^«..i.;M...«..Fage 8

Flip Oy^r qnd Find Out

By Aaron Childers

y^flffNewsWriter

A plea o f “No Contest” was given on September 2'"* by the first o f two cadets who robbed four students with a realistic looking pellet gun around Radford University last January.

Marlon Alexander Powell, a former member o f the

class o f 2005, will be sentenced for the five counts o f conspiracy, two counts of robbery and two counts o f attempted robbery on September 24, according to The Roanoke Times. Attorney Tony Anderson will represent the former cadet during the sentencing.According to the Radford police.

Powell and Robert Lyles took part in a series o f back-to- back robberies on the night of January 21, 2003, beginning at 2330. Lyles apparently approached the victims wearing a facemask and waving a realistic weapon while Powell sat in a waiting car. The white Ford Escort station wagon being used as a getaway car

was spotted by Radford Officer Craig Frye moments after the last robbery. The cadets apparently lost Officer Frye but were found fifteen minutes later, when Radford Officer Szerokman found the car on the side o f the road in the direction of Interstate 81. The former cadets disposed of the ski

Continued on page 4